/ NEW REVIEW: Vertical Magazine by Toby Archer

"The British can be a bit self-congratulatory over our
trad ethics (ignoring that the same tradition remains
important not only across much of the rest of the
English-speaking world, but also in other parts of
Europe such as Scandinavia), but what the
October/November edition of Vertical shows is how
strong trad climbing remains elsewhere in the
mountains of Europe."

In reply to JoH - Editor: Good review. Nice to see Didier Berthod (the Swiss crack specialist) mentioned - he 'starred' in First Ascent (a film shown at Kendal) and came across as such an endearing character (funny, philosophical).

In reply to Toby
As I said in my review of the first edition (http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=221 ) French gear reviews in the old Vertical & elsewhere are so dreadful they are no loss although something along the lines of Andy Kirkpatrick's reviews or those in the old Mountain Review would be a useful addition.

As for the rest of Europe being 'sterile' I've often got the impression that us Brits probably have a lot in common with the Spanish - I've barely climbed there but from looking at the guidebooks & the odd copy of Desnivel plus some ski mountaineering trips using Spanish huts it seems they have lots of 'trad' or near trad routes in the mountains & an attitude to the mountains quite similar to the UK

Another problem with Vertical which Toby didn't mention is the lack of a website for information on subscriptions & the lateness of edition 2 - hardly a way of attracting new readers.

In reply to Marc C: Tout a fait correct
'Magazine' is yet another example of the creeping anglicisation of the language of Racine, Moliere etc (a tangent I know but I had a look at the website of the newly launched 'France 24' (the French answer to CNN which Chirac insisted be created) last night - complete with adverts in English !)

In reply to Doug: My French is rubbish so I checked in a dictionary and an online translator. I also asked my missus who does speak French if it sounded right and she said 'yeah', but that might just prove how much attention she pays to me! ;-)

Jo picked it out as the title, I just had it as a throwaway line in the review. If the French is wrong, it should just be chopped away, I was just trying to make a vaguely humourous point about EU multilingualism where everything needs an official translation into 17 different languages or whatever it is now!

In reply to TobyA: Do you realise that your linguistic solecism could attract the attention of a roving Daily Mail reporter, and be used as a 'damning' argument against European Union? "'Bullseye' Archer misses the target - UKC's Finnish Ambassador can't tell difference between butchers and magazine"

"The magazine lacks some of the features that we have grown used to in the British mags; no gear reviews, no training article and none of the gossipy local news. This may be considered a strength or weakness depending on what you are looking for."

Diplomatically put. Have you noticed that all the best mags. never have gear reviews?

The back of issue 2 said the 25th September, which I assumed to be a typo since 2 didn't come out until the start of October.

I guessed that 2 months later was their intention and that it should have been out the 25th Nov.

Its a fantastic magazine, the only one I've considered subscribing to (except maybe Alpinist, which this seems to be a scaled down version of in some respects), but their inability to get it out on time, and the pathetic range of shops which stock it, are beginning to bug me..........

Yes. Since "High" expired, and Climb became a glossfest which declares its intention to concentrate on the sub-HVS audience, there's not much about for the aspiring punter mountaineer (who struggles with E1 but likes long days of S in big boots at altitude.)

Alpinist is more aspiring than punter, not cheap, and US-centric (as far as I can see from a few glimpses.) If Vertical can get its sh1t together, it could fill the gap.

Claude Gardien
or for the linguitically challenged a quick & rough translation.

"Sorry we are again late. The new Vertical in 4 languages is somewhat complicated to produce & we are discovering, little by little, the problems that poses. We hope to better control all that from No 4 onwards but its not easy.

There are distribution problems in several countries. Its not very easy to improve as we use specialists in distribution and its difficult to follow in detail.

I have all the Mountain from the time of Ken Wilson at home, I love them.
Thanks for your compliments"

Sorry to bump this thread back up, but does anyone know where my best bet is to find a copy in London? Ellis Brigham (site of the launch of the English edition) somewhat confusingly doesn't sell them and one of the chaps in there said WHSmiths was my best bet. I've ventured into a couple of WHS's without success.

So, is there a London Smith's selling these, or do any of the London walls?